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Christmas lights · San Antonio, TX

Christmas lights in San Antonio

San Antonio's lights are better organised than most cities': the big drive-thrus and the botanical garden had already published their 2026 dates by September. The River Walk is free and right downtown, so the real question there is parking, not tickets. Windcrest, a small city inside San Antonio, turns whole streets into a contest every December.

8 displays · 3 free · 5 with 2026 dates announced

Where to see them

Free neighborhoods

No ticket, but the best-known ones get very crowded. Go on a weeknight if you can, and read the card for how to get in.

Neighborhood·Windcrest, northeast San AntonioFree

Windcrest Light-Up

A small city where residents have competed over their house lights for decades. The 2026 theme is red, white and blue.

2026 season
Nov 12 – Dec 31, 2026
Cost
Free

Getting in and parking

  • Drive the neighborhood streets. A map of the contest winners is sold for a donation at the Fire Administration Office, 8601 Midcrown Dr., weekdays 8 am – 3 pm.
  • On Bike Night (Dec 17, 2026) part of the route is set aside for bicycles only.

On the map

Checked 2026-09-23 · City of Windcrest

Drive-thru shows

Paid per car, not per person, so a full car is the cheap way to do it. Weekends are the busy nights.

Drive-thru·Alamo Ranch and Traders Village

Lights Alive!

A one-mile drive-thru light show synced to music, then a winter wonderland you walk around — Santa, crafts, a 50-foot tree you can program from your phone.

2026 season
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (closed Dec 31)
From 6 pm; closing between 9:30 and 11:30 pm depending on the night
Cost
One ticket per car, whatever the number of people. Cheaper online than at the gate.
Where
Alamo Ranch: 5931 Roft Rd, San Antonio, TX 78253 · Traders Village: 9333 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78242

Getting in and parking

  • Parking at the wonderland is free.
  • Maximum vehicle height is 7 ft 10 in.
  • You can't get out of the car during the drive-thru part. There are restrooms along the queue.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Sunday to Thursday is usually drive-right-in. Saturday nights have the longest waits.
  • Open in the rain; closures for wind are posted on the front page of the site.
  • Dogs can ride through in the car, but aren't allowed in the wonderland.

Checked 2026-09-23 · seelightsalive.com

Official site
Drive-thru·New Braunfels, off I-35

Santa's Ranch

A mile of country road past three million lights and animated displays, north of the city on I-35.

2026 season
Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, every night
6 – 10 pm Sun–Thu, 6 – 11 pm Fri–Sat
Cost
$37 + tax per car, or $74 + tax for a season pass (2026)
Where
9561 I-35 North, New Braunfels, TX 78130

Getting in and parking

  • Look for the 50-foot Christmas tree from the interstate.
  • Keep to the right lane and keep moving; stay in the car except for restrooms.
  • No trailers, buses, limos or RVs; vehicles up to 8 ft high and 30 ft long.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Open in the rain and on holidays. Pets are welcome.

Checked 2026-09-23 · santasranch.com

Official site
Drive-thru·West San Antonio

The Light Park

Drive-thru light show synced to music, at the ballpark.

Season
Opens November 2026. Tickets go on sale October 1.
Cost
One ticket covers the whole car.
Where
Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, 5757 US-90, San Antonio, TX 78227

On the map

Worth knowing

  • The operator says weekdays are the quiet nights.

Checked 2026-09-23 · thelightpark.com

Official site

Walk-through: gardens, zoo, parks

Mostly ticketed per person, and on foot. Check the hours before you set out.

Walk-through·DowntownFree

River Walk Holiday Lights

About 200,000 lights hung in the bald cypress trees along the river downtown. The Ford Holiday River Parade opens the season on Friday, November 27, 2026 — the parade is ticketed, the lights are not.

2026 season
Day after Thanksgiving – early January
Cost
Free
Start at
The downtown stretch of the River Walk

Getting in and parking

  • The city points visitors to its own garages: St. Mary's Garage (205 E. Travis St.) and City Tower Garage (60 N. Flores St.).
  • In 2025 city garages charged up to $15 on busy weekends, were free on Tuesdays from 5 pm to 2 am, and City Tower was free all day Sunday.
  • Parade night is the busiest of the season; the city recommends public transit.

On the map

Checked 2026-09-23 · San Antonio River Walk; City of San Antonio (parking, 2025)

Official site
Garden·San Antonio Botanical Garden

Illuminate

The botanical garden after dark, lit for the season, walked on a timed ticket.

2026 season
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027
Timed entry, 5:30 – 9:30 pm
Cost
$19.99 + $3 fee early bird, adults and children alike (2026). Under-3s free.
Where
555 Funston Place, San Antonio, TX 78209

Getting in and parking

  • Parking is free but limited, in lots A, B and C — lot A is nearest the entrance.
  • The garden asks visitors to carpool or rideshare Friday to Sunday and on holidays.

On the map

Checked 2026-09-23 · sabgtx.org

Official site
Zoo·Brackenridge Park

Zoo Lights

The zoo lit up in the evening, with a lakeside light show every 20 minutes from 6 pm and s'mores pits.

2025 season
Nov 15, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Where
San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary's St, San Antonio, TX

Getting in and parking

  • Park in the zoo parking garage or the lot by the Train Depot.

On the map

Checked 2026-09-23 · sazoo.org

Official site
Park·University of the Incarnate Word, BroadwayFree

Light the Way

About a million lights across the university campus, switched on at a one-night festival and left up for the season.

2025 season
Festival night Nov 22, 2025; lights stay up through early January
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free
Where
4301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

Getting in and parking

  • On festival night the university opens the Founders Hall and Ancira garages, first come first served, and asks people to rideshare.

On the map

Checked 2026-09-23 · UIW; Texas Public Radio

Before you go

Why some dates say 2025

Most displays announce the season in October or November. Until they do, we show last year's dates and say so, rather than guess this year's. Every card shows the day we last checked it and where the facts came from.

Santa services in the US

Christmas lights in other cities

Questions

Which Christmas lights in San Antonio are free?
River Walk Holiday Lights (Downtown), Windcrest Light-Up (Windcrest, northeast San Antonio), Light the Way (University of the Incarnate Word, Broadway). None of them sell tickets, but some charge for parking and the busiest neighborhoods have long lines, so check each card and go on a weeknight.
When do the San Antonio light displays open this year?
So far River Walk Holiday Lights (Day after Thanksgiving – early January) and Lights Alive! (Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (closed Dec 31)) and Santa's Ranch (Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, every night) and Illuminate (Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027) and Windcrest Light-Up (Nov 12 – Dec 31, 2026) have announced their 2026 dates. The rest publish in October and November; until then this page shows last year's dates, marked as such.